FINALLY. Lots of stuff to review from one night out!
Friday night I went out with Mark,
KK and her bf. We started out at
Vino Vino, a wine bar/store in TriBeCa. This place has been on my list for a long time and I have to say it was worth the wait. The space 1/2 wine bar and 1/2 wine shop, separated down the middle by a glass wall. The space is gorgeous with exposed brick and a tin ceiling. Black leather sofas and small wooden coffee tables line one wall with a small bar at the front. The wine selection was varied and the prices pretty reasonable. We had 2 bottles of a refreshing pino gris ($36 each) that helped us battle the heat outside. I can wait to get back there and try a red when the temperature gets a little brisk out in the Fall.
Next we moved on to dinner at The Harrison, another stop that has been on my list forever. For an app I had the fried oysters with coleslaw and a bacon mustard sauce ($12) - perfectly fried and delicious! Other apps at the table included the bbq pork with fennel confit and watermelon salad ($12) - this one was big enough to be a meal in itself, the sweet pea pancake with Florida shrimp ragout ($12) and the local spring greens salad ($11). For the main, KK and I both had the local trout with an heirloom tomato salad and finan haddie foam ($25). I enjoyed it (not my favorite dish ever but very good), but KK had an issue with the fact that the fish was hot and the salad it was sitting on was cold. The guys had the NY shell steak with Tuscan kale, shallot confit and a spicy tomato sauce ($34) and the crispy chicken with summer beans, cipollini onions and a bittersweet onion sauce ($24) - and both of them were EXTREMELY satisfied with their choices. In the end, I didn't love the menu but the food was definitely high quality and I would rate this place as a solid option when in TriBeCa.
We finished off the night with a nightcap at Little Branch, a speakeasy in the W. Village on 7th South. It's a very intimate (read: small) basement space with quite a bunch of booths and a tiny bar. We started out sitting at a little counter but got a booth after about 1/2 hr (you have to put your name in). Aside from the overwhelming fumes of Pine-Sol when you walked in, I liked this place. Drinks were a bit pricey (and interestingly more expensive at the bar than at the table), but you are paying for the atmosphere. Beer choices were limited so I went for the Anchor Steam. The bartender kind of grossed me out with it though when she poured it into a glass and then used the top of the bottle to try to get the foam down (think the nose grease trick from college). After that I asked them to deliver it in the bottle. In the end I would say it's a fun place for a drink or 2 that out-of-town guests will ooo and ahhh over. It does have a lot of atmosphere. However, I can only image that once all the NY escapees return after Labor Day this place probably gets very packed and if you don't have a table I don't think it would be too much fun to be crammed into the small bar area.
Beginning October 28th American Airlines will offer non-stop service from JFK to London Stansted. I know, I know - it's not as glamorous as flying into Heathrow. However, I'm sure it will be a lot easier time-wise (with lines, security, etc.) in the smaller airport. Also keep in mind that Stansted is where most of the low-cost European carriers are based so connections will be all that much cheaper. I'll keep you posted if there is any kind of a crazy fare sale closer to the launch!
